Nunavut marks National Nursing Week
The week runs form May 6 to May 12
Ellen Judd, an anthopology professor at the University of Manitoba, stands with Nunavut nurses Nancy Mike, Mavis Ell, Suzie Schwartz and Suzie Pearce June 13, 2018 at a get-together at Nunavut Arctic College in Iqaluit. Judd was in Iqaluit to meet up with recipients of the scholarships awarded every year to Nunavut nursing students through the University of Manitoba in honour of her partner, Christine Egan, a Nunavut nurse, who died in the 9-11 terror attacks on the World Trade Center. (PHOTO BY JANE GEORGE)
Have you thanked your nurse lately?
As part of National Nursing Week, which runs from May 6 to May 12, the Government of Nunavut wants to recognize the hard working nurses in the territory.
This year’s National Nursing Week theme is Nurses: A Voice to Lead—Health for All. The theme speaks to the unique experiences of nurses and the potential to improve the health system and enable people to live healthy, productive lives, according to a Government of Nunavut news release.
“Nunavut’s nurses go beyond administering health care, they also advocate for their patients, their families and their communities,” the release states.
The national week comes at a time when the territory continues to face a shortage of long-term nurses and doctors.
A recent analysis from the Qaujigiartiit Health Research Centre published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal highlighted the effects of transient nurses on Nunavut’s health care system.
The report noted that in 2014-2016, 62 per cent of health nursing positions in Nunavut were vacant, with the vacancy rate as high at 71 per cent in some regions.
And earlier in January, an ongoing shortage of nursing staff forced Baker Lake’s health centre to temporarily close its doors.
Community members said the centre had been down to just two nurses in recent months, in a centre meant to have 10.
“There is a nursing shortage throughout the country that uniquely impacts Nunavut due to contextual factors like geography, cost of living and availability of housing,” Charleen Austin, assistant deputy minister of operations for Nunavut’s Health Department, said in a Jan. 17 statement emailed to Nunatsiaq News.
The government invites Nunavummiut to offer a word of thanks and encouragement to nurses in their community.
More information about National Nursing Week in Nunavut can be found on the government’s social media pages with the hashtag #voicetolead or at http://nunavutnurses.ca/
We are so proud of our local nurse Mavis Ell! She is remarkable and definitely a good role model. She is fluent in her Inuktitut language and this has a positive influence on our unilingual members of this community. Coral is proud of you Mavis!!! Upinnaqsiaqtutit!
We are so proud of our local nurse Mavis Ell! She is remarkable and an excellent role model for our youths here and Nunavut. She is fluent in Inuktitut and brings a very positive influence on our elders! Upinnaqsiattuq! A warm “”Thank You” from us.